DANIEL JOHNSON

Daniel is a growth marketer with experience in the apps, SaaS, e-commerce, and crypto/Web3 industries.

He has spoken on growth marketing at events for Google Launchpad, Cambridge University, Growth Mentor, Imperial College London, UK Space Agency.

Daniel has extensive experience helping startups develop systems, infrastructure, and processes to drive scaleable, repeatable, and predictable growth. He is also skilled in coaching, mentoring, training, and getting suitable systems in place to help companies grow.

Daniel has spent over £6.8m on PPC and paid acquisition with major platforms like Google, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Taboola. He has also generated millions of website hits and revenue for e-commerce stores, and have helped create millions of app downloads.

Daniel is experienced in speaking about a number of topics including the growing market, how to grow your startup and turning ideas into reality amongst many more.

Elliot LEAVY 

Elliot Leavy, visionary founder of ACQUAINTED, is a distinguished tech luminary and AI expert with over a decade of experience, recognised for empowering brands in Generative AI, contributing to AI publications, mentoring at UCL, lecturing at the London Film School, and playing pivotal roles in Mesh-AI and techno-radical journal BOZO. This makes him a sought-after speaker and influential figure in the transformative landscape of technology.

PETE DURANT 

For over 20 years, Pete Durant has been a trailblazer in the digital and social revolution, crafting and sharing compelling brand stories.

A seasoned Marketing Director, Brand Leader, and Creative Director, Pete has worked with top agency groups like Omnicom, WPP, and IPG Mediabrands, as well as high-profile brands such as Peaky Blinders, MasterChef, Waitrose, Renault Dacia, Comic Relief, and Specsavers.

An award-winning marketer and digital content leader, Pete specialises in connecting brands with audiences to drive growth in a crowded, multi-platform world. He believes that creating emotional connections through strong brand foundations is key, using his unique storytelling approach to achieve standout success.

Having spoken across the globe—from the USA and Mexico to the UK and Europe—Pete energises audiences with his engaging style, fresh ideas, and practical strategies. From avoiding greenwashing and communicating sustainability, to harnessing the power of social brands and humancentred CX, Pete’s insights deliver real impact.

He’s also a committed values and CSR consultant, helping businesses define their purpose and deliver on their promises. Passionate about sustainability, animal advocacy, and positive mental health, Pete is driven to create a better world for all.

Estelle keeber, immortal monkey

Estelle Keeber, a leading UK Instagram expert, Author and Speaker and the brains behind Immortal Monkey, has revolutionised social media for countless entrepreneurs. From founding the world’s fastest-growing women’s network without any initial investment to inspiring hundreds of thousands worldwide with her infectious passion and savvy strategies, Estelle is a force to be reckoned with.

Her interactive training sessions strike the perfect balance between simplicity and effectiveness, catering to Instagram newbies and seasoned pros alike. Whether you’re just dipping your toes or diving deep, Estelle ensures you walk away with the skills and confidence to skyrocket your business on Instagram.

Not content with just dominating social media, Estelle’s influence extends to the literary world. With over 200 Amazon #1 best-selling authors under her belt and her latest release, “The Insta Queen’s Guide to Content that Converts,” hitting the shelves, she continues to inspire and empower entrepreneurs at every turn.

Holly Dennett

Over the last three years Holly Dennett has grown to be one of the largest online sewing social media accounts, with a current following of over 126,000 followers. She specialises in creating online sewing content and tutorials that inspire and educate the home sewing community on social media. She also has a popular sewing blog and website.

Holly is trained in design, pattern cutting, sewing, and graduated in 2020 from the University for the Creative Arts with a high 2:1 in Fashion.

Over the last three years she has worked with many sewing brands including Singer, Dyno, The Cotton Craft Co with Simplicity, Fabrics Galore, Sew Over It, Happy Fabrics, Prym, Black and White publishing and is a sewing expert on the ‘Dear Sew’ page in Sew magazine.

Holly is currently working on releasing her own line of sewing patterns for the home sewing community. The first collection, a selection of garments that she has made and shared with her audience over the last two years online was launched in Spring 2023. The sewing patterns are PDF downloads available from her website.

Ian Downes

Ian Downes owns and runs Start Licensing a well established Licensing Agency and Consultancy. The company celebrated its 20th Anniversary in 2023. Ian has extensive experience across the licensing, industry and is co-owner of Brands Untapped, writing on the site about licensing, branding and design. He also contributes regularly to Licensing Source, Progressive Gifts and The Bugg Report.

Ian is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and has acted as a consultant for a range of companies and organisations from sectors such as charities, heritage, FMCG and publishing. Current clients include Aardman Animations, The Ashmolean Museum, Edith Holden, A Country Diary and Nadiya Hussain. Ian was awardee a Lifetime Achievement Award at the UK Licensing Awards in 2016.

Prior to establishing Start Licensing Ian was Group Managing Director of Fox Kids Europe’s Consumer product division and also worked in the publishing industry. 

Sue Balfour

Sue Balfour is the founder and CEO of Katy Sue Designs, a UK-based company specialising in the design and manufacture of high-quality creative products for the arts and crafts sector.

Katy Sue’s product range includes cake decorating silicone moulds, paper craft products, and craft kits. Starting the business from her kitchen table with her mother in 1993, Sue has grown the Katy Sue brand into an internationally recognised business with customers and retail partners worldwide, including a strong presence in the USA.

Under Sue’s leadership, Katy Sue Designs has remained committed to British manufacturing and innovation, producing products in-house at their factory in the northeast of England. This achievement was celebrated this year by the UK government in the Made in the UK, Sold to the World Awards. The company has won multiple industry awards and is renowned for its inspiring designs, appealing to both professional and hobbyist crafters.

Beyond her role at Katy Sue Designs, Sue is an advocate for supporting small creative businesses, sharing insights on product innovation, business growth, and navigating international markets. She brings extensive experience in retail and e-commerce, having successfully expanded the company’s presence on platforms like Shopify, Amazon, and QVC Germany.

Sue is also passionate about collaboration, spearheading licensing partnerships that incorporate specialist designers to ensure both product success and an exceptional customer experience.

Susan Bolsolver

Susan has been a licensee, agent and a licensor working with and for some of the biggest names in character brand, literary, heritage and sports licensing.

Susan began her licensing career at BBC Worldwide managing in-house pre-school brands as part of the Global Brand Development team before going on to Italian publishing house, DeAgostini where she co-ordinated global product rollouts for brands such as STAR WARS and THE LORD OF THE RINGS franchises. Susan spent almost 10 years at award winning global licensing agency, CPLG (now Wildbrain CPLG) as European Publishing Director representing some of Hollywood’s biggest studios including Universal Pictures, Paramount Pictures, and DreamWorks Animation and across blockbuster movie franchises such as DESPICABLE ME, SHREK, and STAR TREK^.

Susan moved to Penguin Random House UK in 2013 where she established the Penguin Ventures team where her remit was to grow the children’s divisions wholly owned brands including PETER RABBIT and THE SNOWMAN, both in the UK and internationally across licensing and consumer products and most recently served as executive producer on the first Peter Rabbit Movie, which took over $350m at the global box office.  During Susan’s tenure Penguin Ventures properties won two UK Licensing Awards for Best Classic Licensed Property; PETER RABBIT (2016) and THE SNOWMAN (2019) as well as Best Licensed Film Property for PETER RABBIT: THE RUNAWAY (2021)

Susan founded Lightbulb Licensing in 2022 with the aim of using her skills and industry expertise from a career spanning over 25 years to help businesses both large and small shine a light on their own licensing success story.

Paul Currie

Paul Currie is a seasoned retail executive and is currently Chairman of Direct On Demand Print, a private business. With a broad career starting with Marks and Spencer, where he had senior leadership roles in stores, buying, franchise development and finally running the European development program based in Paris. He has held Board positions including blue chip international groups; family owned businesses and start-ups. An entrepreneurial leader who creates businesses with strong focus on people and organisational excellence. Significant experience of Omni channel development in his businesses reflecting the changing dynamics of consumer organisations. More recently Paul has focused on turnaround operations. As CEO of Foyles his brief was to develop a transformation strategy involving organisational, culture changes and an invigorated trading focus, returning to profit, leading to a successful sale of the trading business and capital assets in 2018.

Angeline Murphy

Angeline Murphy is a Northern Ireland Designer and Textile Artist. Angeline started sewing in 2005 and has since been showcasing her creations and upcycled designs on her social media channels. She is inspiring and empowering her followers to give sewing a go and inject a second life to their own unworn clothes while reducing the need to buy new.

Angeline started sewing to simply turn up trousers but her passion has led her to TV appearances, presentations, hosting workshops and even designing and making wedding dresses. 

After appearing on BBC’s Great British Sewing Bee Series 4, Angeline wanted to raise awareness of sewing and its benefits for mental health. Through making and mending workshops Angeline continues to spread the word of Sewing. 

Angeline is a mum of three and works full time as a brand manager. On a daily basis she is surrounded by sustainability and the impact of what we do. This made her question how sustainable fashion is and how she can encourage others to become more sustainable in their everyday life.